Prenatal paternity test

Know who the father is before the baby is born. From 7 weeks of pregnancy, with a blood draw from the mother and a cheek swab from the possible father.

When
From 7 weeks of pregnancy
Mother
A blood draw from the arm
Possible father
A cheek swab
Risk to the baby
None. Nothing enters the womb.
Result
By email: whether he is the father

How it works

  1. Order online and tell us who is taking part.
  2. The mother has a small blood sample taken from her arm at a collection site near her.
  3. The possible father gives a cheek swab, at home or at a collection site.
  4. The lab finds the baby's DNA in the mother's blood and compares it with the possible father's.
  5. The report comes by email.

Why it is safe for the baby

During pregnancy, small pieces of the baby's DNA circulate in the mother's blood. The test reads them from an ordinary blood draw, so nothing enters the womb and there is no risk to the pregnancy. Older methods took a sample from inside the womb, by amniocentesis or CVS, and carried a small risk of miscarriage.

How early you can test

From 7 weeks, counted from the first day of the last period. Before then there may not be enough of the baby's DNA in the mother's blood. If a sample has too little, labs ask for a second draw.

When it can't be done

Many labs can't test a pregnancy with twins or more, or a pregnancy from a donor egg. If two possible fathers are closely related, such as brothers, the lab may need samples from both.

Can it be used in court?

Yes, when it is done as a legal test: ID checked, and the samples taken and sealed by a neutral collector. Many families take the prenatal test for their own answer, then a legal test after the birth if a court needs one.

What it costs

Prenatal paternity tests sold online in the US are priced from about $675 to $1,700. See prenatal paternity test cost.

Questions

How accurate is it?

Labs report the result the same way as a test after the birth: a probability of paternity above 99% when the man is the father, and 0% when he is not.

Does the possible father have to come to the appointment?

No. His cheek swab can be taken at home, or at a different collection site near him.

What if there are two possible fathers?

Test one first. If he is not the father, the result says so with certainty, and the other man can be tested next. If the two men are related, the lab may need both.

Will insurance pay for it?

Usually not. Insurers treat paternity tests as not medically necessary.

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